My Thoughts on People who are Nudists

I left this comment on KenSavage.com as a reply to his post on Brattleboro:

Ken, many statistics do say that nudists are, on average, older -- however, I have to question how accurately that portrays the reality of nudists.

That statistic, as I understand it, is derived from people who are registered members of such organizations as the American Association for Nude Recreation (AANR) and the like (There are more, but I cannot remember them at the moment). A lot of younger nudists are not members of such associations for several reasons: cost of membership, being unaware of their existence, not having much personal value to them, not wanting any sort of commitment, etc. Most nudists, however, practice nudity in independently -- at home, skinny dipping at a pond, sunbathing in their back yard, going to a nude beach, etc. It's difficult to really come to an accurate estimate about the average age of nudists.

However, I do feel that many people do not really become involved in nudism until later in life. Young people feel a lot of pressure to fit in, and nudity may not be common among one's friends. People who have advanced in age tend to begin feeling less afraid of what others think, and begin to act more in line with what they feel to be good and true. This is not universal among all older ones, but it can be common enough to be a factor.

Another reason many nudist may be older is because they joined when they were younger -- when the world was in an age of innocence. I don't think (and this is mere speculation) that sexuality was a big of a concern in the 1940's and 50's -- as it was not prominently seen in public society. Many people today may be more concerned about sex because it is perceived as being, perhaps, more prevalent than it really is -- with it being featured in movies, tv shows, music, in advertising, on talk shows, in the news, on the internet, etc. However, sex is a part of life -- not all encompassing, but merely a part. I don't think that people, on average, is really having sex too much more frequently than they have in the past, but the perception of it has changed. Some people, out of fear of ruining their reputation, avoid things they may consider iffy.

Some people also seem to have the belief that without clothing there would be nothing to control human behavior -- assuming clothing has some magical effect that inhibits otherwise uncontrollable "animal instincts." That line of thinking, however, is utterly ridiculous as nudists are NOT more prone to losing self control -- in fact, I believe the opposite effect occurs (greater ability to cope with the human body.)

Falling in Love With Brattleboro

Although I have never been to Vermont before (and hadn't even heard of Brattleboro before the news article about public nudity) I must admit that I'm falling in love with the town. I don't really know much about the place as of yet, but they have one of the best community websites I have seen.

Many of the people there also seem to have a great sense of humor and appreciation for nudity, as shown in a poll about nudity in Brattleboro. 67.5% of the people polled supported the right to public nudity, 24.5% either didn't care or felt that nudity is acceptable in only certain areas, and only 6% were actually against nudity! To me, this sounds like a great place to live -- as long as that tiny 6% doesn't try to enforce mandatory clothing.

Nudity in Brattleboro Vermont

I just read a follow up article on the town in Vermont where a few kids got naked in a parking lot. It's nice to know it's still nude. It would be a sad, sad day, though, if the small, yet vocal, group pushed the local government into putting an end to it.

The way I feel is that there should always be at least a few public places (especially towns) where nudity is legal and hopefully acceptable. Why must every town be the same -- with the same rules? I enjoy variety. If anybody doesn't like it they could either put up with it or get out.

Experimentation and experience is a necessary part of a culture's ability to grow and transcend above it's present status. I feel more freedoms leads to greater maturity and responsibility. If problems really do arise, people will recognize them and learn from them -- though I cannot imagine any real problems being caused by a few individuals enjoying a leisurely stroll.

Why Nudity is Good

I just posted to Why Nudity is Good at h3h.net. Here's what I said:

As a nudist, I absolutely agree with this article. Not all nudity is sexual in nature.

I fear, however, the many people who work so hard to eliminate the freedoms of individuals. I find it appalling how in the United States -- a land of so-called "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" -- logic and reason could be thrown out the window, restricting innocent people from harmless activities. It's a dangerous trend where those who do not know the truths of a matter attempt to oppress the people who do know.

I hate how fearful and distrusting so many people are today, because they are never given an opportunity to learn about even the simplest facts of life. The unknown and the fear of change cause people to make judgments based not on logic an reason, but instead based on personal insecurities and inexperience.

Since when has a LACK of knowledge and experience lead to accurate wisdom and understanding? Never, yet people are continuously restricted from opportunities to grow into morally mature individuals -- that is why people freak out at the mere sight of a nipple. Society, on average, is immature.

Nude bowlers breaking no laws in Old Town

My comment posted to the Bangor Daily News article "Nude bowlers breaking no laws in Old Town":

I have read many of the comments posted here and decided to chime in. Since when has inexperience and lack of knowledge lead to accurate wisdom? Anyone who have never been nude for an extended period of time (greater than two hours) and/or have never seen non-sexual nudity even in photographs cannot accurately comment on the sort of people who are nudists.

There is no more comforting feeling than having absolutely nothing but fresh air touching your skin. Nudists are not even nude for the purpose of being seen or even to see others -- it's all for that wonderfully relaxing feeling.

Some non-nudists may make rather childish comments concerning people's bodies -- some of these comments are about sexuality other are about "ugly" people. In full honesty, when a group of people are all nude together they become almost visually indistinct. It's amazing how similar the bodies of men, women, young, and old really are. What's more amazing is how nudity seems to draw attention to people's faces -- making it easier to maintain eye contact.

It's amazing how the longer one experiences nudity the less one wants to spoil the simple, innocent joy of the occasion with even thoughts of sex. Such thoughts of sexuality even become almost impossible -- even with deliberate concentration on the subject. These are simple truths nudists everywhere appreciate.

Many people may feel nudity is not appropriate for children. There have actually been a number of studies concerning the development of nudists and they overwhelmingly agree that nudity has a positive impact on a child's development -- many people raised in nudist households could attest to this. These studies have shown that on average nudists are more intelligent, less sexually deviant, more confident, more successful, have better relationships, choose to wait longer before losing their virginity, are healthier mentally and physically, and even make more money than society as a whole. This is not surprising.

To those who consider nudity to be immoral, I propose that the censuring human anatomy is immoral. The mere hiding of body parts draws attention to them and even causes an inaccurate perception of these parts.

A child in today's world goes through life wondering what's so wrong and dirty about a man or woman's genitalia. Every time he attempts to find answers to ever accumulating questions he is stopped. If his mother sees him running around the house nude he is chased down and forced to 'wear something before somebody sees him.' If he is sneaking a peek at a picture of someone naked he is punished and sent to his room. If he is caught telling a dirty joke he might have heard in school he is sent to the principal's office for a stern talking to.

Where does he turn for answers? His parents? An adult? They instilled in him a fear of getting in trouble. More likely than not he will turn to fellow school mates and the internet for answers. His friends, however, know as little as he does and the internet overwhelmingly conveys an inaccurate portrayal of anatomy.

It is easy for him to become ensnared by internet pornography. His addiction, of course, will not begin with a sexual interest in the subject matter. In fact, many of the images he sees will likely make him feel nauseous -- with all the fluids involved.

The connection between the human body and sexual stimulation has to be learned -- it is the same as Pavlov's Dog experiment. The dog hears a bell and is given some food. This repeats and eventually the dog begins salivating at only the sound of the bell -- which is not at all related to the pleasure of eating food. It is an involuntary reaction to the expectation of something pleasurable possibly happening. Since both masturbating and the seeing of naked people are forced to be done in seclusion this relationship is commonly formed. Going back to the story of the kid, his first addiction will be to the thrill of doing something dangerous. He could get caught at any moment -- he could get in so much trouble. He feels, in effect, like a spy perusing top secret documents. He nervously glances about the room -- quick to close the browser at the slightest sound. This thrill -- this game -- is the first addiction.

After a few weeks, or months, merely looking is no longer as thrilling. He sees if he could get away with exposing himself -- knowing it takes longer to zip up than to close a window. After some time (maybe even up to a year) he begins experimenting by imitating the images on the screen. It is not until after this experimentation does pornography begin to become something sexually stimulating to him. It is some time later until he becomes addicted to pornography.

This same experience happens more often than many people may care to acknowledge. This all stemmed from curiosities, unanswered questions, and strict rules and limitations placed upon him. The farther back the pendulum of bodily knowledge and experience is held the farther in the opposite direction it will swing after those in authority lose their grip -- from one highly inaccurate perception to another.

Now let's consider someone raised in a nudist environment. Throughout life he ran, swam, ate, talked to friends, learned from his parents, watched tv, read books, rode bikes, went bowling, and did everything else nude and around other people who were also nude. To him the human body is associated not with one limited aspect of life -- sex -- but with ALL aspects of life. He has accurate experience and knowledge concerning all parts of both male and female anatomy. No topic is too taboo to discuss with his parents because they will be talking to him about body parts he is already familiar with. He might not know what sex is or what if feels like, but he does know what a penis is and what a vagina is. He can more easily be taught the moral responsibility of using these parts.

If the sight of public nudity was a common occurrence in every day life many of society's problems will not be eliminated, but they will be lessened considerably. Fewer would be interested in pornography, since, for the most part, people would have a greater maturity concerning the human body and bodily functions. Nobody would become loud, boisterous, or rude at the sight of a naked or topless woman. Some may argue that rape would increase if everyone was naked, but what they do not consider is that rape is not about sex -- it's about power and control. It's difficult to know for a certainty what society as a whole would be like if public nudity was acceptable, but using the lives of nudists as an example of what it could be would indicate that it would be a very good thing.

I not only believe people should be allowed to bowl nude, they should be allowed to do it unsegregated from the rest of society. This, however, will not come about any time in the near future. I could only hope and wait.

Does anybody know when the next nude bowling event will take place? This, and other nude activities, should be given greater public attention -- allowing more people a greater opportunity in joining the fun.

Elements of Fun

In order for a game to be fun it must have three primary components. These three parts work together and if any one of them were to be removed there would be no game.

Goals
A player must have an objective. This goal that the player is working towards needs to be clearly defined. There cannot be any ambiguity as to what the player should be doing or else they will feel lost. The objective to basketball is to get the ball in the hoop and score more points than the opponent.

This goal, however, does not need to remain the same throughout the game. One small simple starting goal could become a number of other goals later in the game. For example, the hero on an adventure might initially have the goal of delivering a package. Along the way a massive attack might take place leading the player on a quest to overthrow evil in his world. During this quest there could be many other smaller goals either independent from one another or building up upon each other to progress the story.

The point is, a player must know what he/she is expected to do at all times if possible. If the scope of the game is rather large then it might be best to break up the primary objective into a series of smaller goals. This will help give the player a sense of accomplishment along the way.

If there are no goals then the player will have nothing to work towards. The game will quickly become boring and the player will likely never return to it again.

Decisive Action
If a player has goals then he will also need a way to accomplish them. A player must be able to take the necessary actions to accomplish this goal. Going back to basketball, the actions allowing a player to get a ball into the hoop include dribbling, passing, and shooting.

In a video game there may be a number of possible actions a player might take, depending on what type of game it is. In an adventure game the player will be able to walk, slash a sword, and use items. In a racing game possible actions will include accelerating and steering.

If there are no actions for a player to take then it would not be a game -- it would be a video, story, or simulation. A game must be interactive. A player must be given the opportunity to manipulate the game's world.

Obstacles
The final piece to the game triad are obstacles preventing the player from accomplishing his/her objectives. These are challenges to overcome. In basketball, again, the obstacles come in the form of the opposing team. A player on the other team can steal the ball away before there is a chance to score a point.

These obstacles should not be impossible or even excessively difficult to overcome. If they are too challenging the player will become frustrated with the game and quit playing. However, the obstacles should not be too easy either. There must be a good balance in the difficulty. Progressively making the game more challenging the longer it is played will help span the skill levels of the player.

Another means of addressing the skills of the player are adaptive obstacles. In a video game statistics could be kept tracking the frequency of the player succeeding and failing at various tasks. These statistics could be used to modify the behaviors and characteristics of the obstacles to be either more or less challenging. For example, in an action game how frequently a player is hurt and how frequently he/she can regain energy could help determine how aggressive the enemies are going to be and how often health refills appear. Someone who is hurt often should have to face easier enemies and have more health refills so as not to become frustrated. A player who nearly never gets hurt should face more challenging enemies and be given fewer energy refills so as to not become board by how easy the game is.

Without obstacles it would not be a game. It would be idle activity at best and a chore at worst. There would be actions, but no challenge. If there was no challenge then the game would be rather dull.

Conclusion
As you see, these three parts all work together in a delicate balance to create fun. The games will the better balance between these three primary components will be more fun to play while those not so well balanced will be not worth playing.

I have played a number of games which are quite good -- along with a number which could have been better. If you are developing a game and it does not seem fun, assess those three elements. Maybe regaining some balance might involve removing part of the game you originally thought would be a good idea. Or, maybe, the fun could become better balanced by simply making a few tweaks here and there -- player speed, hit points, enemy behaviors, etc.

Nudists Need a Good Online Community

For the most part nudists on the net are not unified. There are countless neglected little personal pages where people share their thoughts and broken links. There are also other sites where the only content available is to paid subscribers. There are no real communities where nudists can freely and openly share with one another -- and I don't mean forums. People need to pull together to create something awesome.

A great online nudist community needs to be completely free and open to everybody. The purpose of nudist organizations should be to spread nudism -- not to only cater to those already inclined towards nudism. What is the point of only letting paid members see the content? How does this help with the acceptance of nudism?

Anybody should be able to go to this site and find a ton of new and amazing content on the front page. There should be links to all the most recently added cartoons, artwork, videos, games, music, stories, articles, and forum posts. People should be able to upload nudist friendly content to this site in the same manner other media sites allow the uploading of content.

This should be a dynamic ever growing, ever changing web site offering something new every day. Even people who are not nudists should find this web site to be enjoyable. Essentially this online community needs to parallel the clothed community in every way except for the clothing. People should be able to watch comedy sketches, documentaries, how-to videos, music videos, and so much more on this web site -- the same sort of content found elsewhere only nude. Nudists need to show people that there is not difference between them and everybody else -- we are the same but only dress differently.

How might a site like this survive? Funding can be gained through a number of methods. Frequent visitors to the site will be willing to make donations. People will be eager to find books, movies, posters, hats, and other merchandise available to buy. Nudist vacation resorts, nudist organizations, and nudist friendly businesses may be willing to sponsor the site. A lot of money could even be made through well placed advertisements.

Such a web site could be revolutionary. It could gain such a web presence that even non-nudists take note. It could have the potential to correct some misconceptions many people might have about nudists. The world could benefit greatly from such web site.